Campaign wins put Kerry in the money

February 06, 2004|By Jill Zuckman, Tribune national correspondent.

NEW YORK — In the world of presidential politics, success equals money and more success equals even more money.

At the New York Hilton on Thursday night, Sen. John Kerry's success in the Democratic presidential primaries and caucuses was on full display. Under the twinkling chandeliers of the Trianon Rendezvous room, the senator met with the 50 members of his national finance team, and he dined with 100 new and prospective donors.

Not long ago Kerry's fundraising team was scraping for dollars as his poll numbers sank and he failed to connect with voters throughout the fall and into the winter. Things got so bad that he had to take out a $6.4 million mortgage on his Beacon Hill manse in Boston to shore up his campaign.

"Their money was drying up all over the country," said Shari Yost, a Democratic fundraiser not affiliated with the campaign.

Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor, appeared on his way to locking up the nomination, and his Web site had raked in millions of dollars in small, individual contributions.

But with Kerry's victories, the flow of political donations has changed course.

As the candidate racked up wins from Arizona to New Hampshire, members of Kerry's national finance team found their telephones ringing non-stop with new contributors.

"Like in life, there ain't nothing like winning," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), a prolific fundraiser who is backing Wesley Clark. "If you win, you get the windfall, and if you lose, you get the loser's walk."

Since mid-December, Kerry has not attended or participated in a traditional fundraising event, concentrating instead on wooing Iowa and then New Hampshire residents in last month's votes.

But in the 15 days following his Iowa win, Kerry reaped the windfall, pulling in $2.5 million on the Internet, said Michael Meehan, a senior adviser. In the 19 hours after his five-state win Tuesday, voters gave $200,000 via the campaign Web site.

Altogether, the senator from Massachusetts has raised $5 million since Jan. 1, with $4.5 million of that coming in after his Jan. 19 victory in the Iowa caucuses, campaign officials said.

Dean, on the other hand, has managed to keep the money flowing, even though he has yet to win a primary. On Thursday, his campaign announced it had collected about $600,000 over the Internet after an appeal to his supporters to help him compete in Wisconsin.

Yet Kerry took in $750,000 Thursday night during his one-hour foray into Manhattan. More and more contributors are coming forward, seeking to hold a fundraising event, aides said.

The influx of money has enabled Kerry to campaign in every state with an upcoming primary or caucus. He also has the funds to advertise on television.

He is on the air in Virginia and Tennessee, including a large advertising buy in the pricey Washington market to reach Northern Virginia voters. Both states hold primaries Tuesday.

If he does secure the nomination, Kerry will be going up against President Bush and his vast campaign treasury. So far, the Republican incumbent has raised about $130 million.

"Our campaign has now raised over $28 million and we will have the resources we need to win the nomination and defeat George Bush in November," said Louis Susman, Kerry's national finance chairman and a Chicago financier.

For Kerry, Thursday night's stop was a chance to meet, greet and mingle with people such as New York Atty. Gen. Eliot Spitzer, former New York Comptroller H. Carl McCall and a plethora of well-heeled contributors. It was also an opportunity to thank contributors and to remind people that he would take none of his success for granted.

For the donors, it was a chance to check out in person the candidate many believe will soon become the Democratic nominee for president.